


Ocean Heart

by BrightestDusk



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mermaid, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Complete, F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:28:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28460160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrightestDusk/pseuds/BrightestDusk
Summary: Mermaids were mischievous creatures who reveled at the chance to mislead gullible sailors (if the stories her first mate read were anything to go by). So what if she was as stunning as the glittering sea during an ocean sunset? This woman would prove to be nothing but trouble.
Relationships: Weiss Schnee/Yang Xiao Long
Comments: 2
Kudos: 28





	Ocean Heart

**Author's Note:**

> My piece I did for the [Freezerburn zine](https://freezerburnzine.tumblr.com/)! Thank you so much to everyone who helped make this project possible.

This was a terrible idea.

The small paddleboat rocked along the ocean waves as the midday sun burned against the cloudless, blue sky. The cry of seagulls rang overhead as the fresh sea breeze carried the sting of salt and adventure. Nobody of sound mind would have thought a better day for sailing would be possible with this weather.

This was _such_ a bad idea.

Weiss leaned over the edge of the paddleboat, desperately scouring the seafloor. While the sea had blessed her with crystal clear waters, it still made locating a single pearl attached to a silver chain similar to finding a needle in a haystack. It’s not that she didn’t expect as much, but given this necklace was the last remaining piece she had of her mother, Weiss found herself paddling out to where she so stupidly let it slip from her neck just a half-hour prior. 

Why did this mean so much to her? It had been years since she last saw Willow, and the last she did see of her wasn’t exactly the fondest of memories. It would’ve been so much easier to forget it all, to continue pillaging her family’s merchant ships as if the very name painted on their hulls didn’t belong to her (it didn’t, as far as everyone else knew). Despite her disowning of the Schnee name years ago, Weiss couldn’t quell the small part of her that always seemed to be reaching, to be clinging, to some fragment of her past life.

A splash of water pulled her attention upward towards the shore. She frowned upon seeing she was still alone. She returned her gaze down to the seafloor, only to be met with another splash, this one landing on the back of her neck.

Weiss spun around to face the perpetrator, but all she could see was her ship waiting for her in the distance. Something strange was definitely —

“Hey there!”

The paddleboat dipped forward as Weiss teetered backward to remain balanced. She spun around again, fully prepared to draw Myrtenasteron whoever had the nerve to harass her like this. A small gasp escaped her lips with what she saw next.

Casually leaning against the side of her dinghy was a woman with long blonde hair and soft lilac eyes. Flecks of golden scales dotted along her arms up to her shoulders, catching the sunlight in dazzling sparks. Just behind her, Weiss caught sight of a brilliant tail swishing around just under the water’s surface.

She was a mermaid. And a very beautiful one at that.

“You okay there?”

Weiss blinked a couple of times before narrowing her eyes at the intruder. Mermaids were mischievous creatures who reveled at the chance to mislead gullible sailors (if the stories her first mate read were anything to go by). So what if she was as stunning as the glittering sea during an ocean sunset? This woman would prove to be nothing but trouble.

“Wassa matter? Cat got your tongue?” The mermaid stuck her own tongue out with a cheeky smile.

Weiss moved her hand to the hilt of her rapier. “I’m more than capable of speaking my mind, thank you very much.” Her eyes flited to the edge of the paddleboat the mermaid was still leaning on. “I’d appreciate it if you got off my boat,” she said icily.

The mermaid laughed before lifting her arms off the edge of the dinghy. “Relax, I’m just teasin’ ya.” Her smile didn’t waver as her eyes roamed over Weiss. “So, what’s the infamous captain of the _Ice Queen_ doing all the way out here on a tiny little boat?”

Weiss’ hands moved to her hips. “And how do you know who I am? Miss…”

“Name’s Yang!” Yang chirped out, seemingly ecstatic for a reason to introduce herself. “Just call me Yang. I’m not too big on formalities and all that jazz you rich people are into.”

“W-what makes you think I came from wealth?”

“I dunno,” Yang drawled out. “Was it that super frilly lace on your neck or the ruby hanging from your ear?” 

“It’s called a cravat!” Weiss fumed from her spot. She tried her best at a glare, but it was hard to stay mad when Yang had that stupid smirk on her face. That stupid, perfect, knowing smirk on her beautiful face. Damn her.

“Fine, the _cravat_ ,” Yang laughed. “Love the earring by the way. My little sister is named Ruby. I’m sure you two would get along great.”

“Is she as troublesome and intrusive as you?” Weiss asked dryly. She rocked forward as Yang leaned against the side of her boat once more.

“Probably.” Yang arched her tail out of the water and flopped it idly back against its surface.

Weiss sighed. Try as she might, there was a part of her unable to resist Yang’s warm and cheery disposition. Her heart fluttered in her chest when Yang narrowed her eyes at her in a lazy smile.

Okay, maybe it was all of her.

Weiss took a seat in the boat, smoothing out the stiff, royal blue fabric of her coat. “You never answered my question.” Her pale blue eyes met Yang’s lilac ones. “How do you know who I am?”

“Easy,” Yang said. “People talk, and merfolk are no different. Heard stories of you pillaging Schnee merchant ships and giving the goods to the needy. Ruby eats those sorts of hero stories up.”

Weiss studied Yang for a moment, the dinghy swaying back and forth along the gentle ocean waves. She never thought of herself being much of a hero. Honestly, it was odd to be considered such; her plundering was illegal, and the crew she amassed didn’t have the cleanest hands in the sea. But, this was the life she chose for herself, and she swore never to go back to what was.

“You were right about one thing,” Weiss admitted. “I did come from money. But I gave up that life, seeing as it was never truly mine.” The disgruntled face of her father flashed through her thoughts.

Yang hummed in thought. “Takes a lot of guts to pull off something like that. Can’t help but admire it.”

Weiss didn’t fight the small smile that emerged on her face.

“Finally got you to smile.”

The smile vanished as quickly as it came. “What’s that supposed to mean!?”

Yang barked out in laughter as Weiss’ cheeks burned like the sun. Surely, this woman would be the death of her.

“Nothing, nothing,” Yang waved off the question once her laughter subsided. “Anyway, is this yours by chance?” 

Weiss’ eyes widened as Yang lifted her tail out of the water. Her mother’s necklace hung off the golden tailfin completely intact.

“I was looking for that,” Weiss intoned in awe.

“Figures. Were you really gonna jump in the water for it?” The amusement in Yang’s voice was palpable. 

“I had a plan!”

“Uh-huh, whatever you say,” Yang grinned. She took the necklace in her hand before offering it to Weiss, the scales on her arm winking with every movement. 

Weiss let the pearl and chain she was sure she’d never see again fall into her palm. She closed her hand into a light fist before meeting Yang’s gaze. “Thank you, Yang. This...means a lot to me.”

“Weeeeell normally I’d tell you to keep better track of your stuff, but if you did that then I wouldn’t have an excuse to see you again.”

“...I don’t follow.”

Yang rolled her eyes affectionately. “I’m trying to tell you if you ever drop something overboard, you have a mermaid who’s more than happy to fetch it for you.”

Weiss gave a dubious look. “How will you know where I am?”

She didn’t realize Yang had taken her hand until she felt something press into her palm. Next to her necklace was an orange, heart-shaped stone. It was heavy for its size and warm to the touch, despite being in the water moments prior.

“Drop this in the ocean and I’ll always find where you are,” Yang said, her voice softer than before.

Weiss looked at the heart in her hand, lightly tracing the glassy surface with her fingertips. She looked up. “I’ll be seeing you often then, Yang.”

Yang’s playful smirk returned. “Wouldn’t have it any other way, Miss Weiss Schnee.”

Before Weiss could utter another word, Yang let go of the boat and slipped under the water before flashing out of sight like a spark.

Weiss remained sitting, staring at the empty spot Yang had been. She had figured out her true identity; the one she swore would never come to light. Smiling to herself, she grabbed the plumed, black tricorne across from her and placed it on her head.

She didn’t mind.


End file.
